1982 Gower by-election

1982 Gower by-election

16 Sep 1982
Constituency of Gower
Turnout	65.4% ( 15.4%)
First party Second party   Candidate Gareth Wardell Gwynoro Jones Party Labour SDP Popular vote 17,095 9,875 Percentage 43.5 25.1 Swing 9.8% 16.1%   Third party Fourth party   Candidate Trefor Llewellyn Ieuan Owen Party Conservative Plaid Cymru Popular vote 8,690 3,431 Percentage 22.1 8.7 Swing 8.4% 1.6%
MP before election Ifor Davies Labour Subsequent MP Gareth Wardell Labour

The Gower by-election of 16 September 1982 was held after the death of Labour Member of Parliament (MP) Ifor Davies on 6 June 1982. The seat was held by Labour in the by-election.

Amongst the candidates was David Burns who at the time was being held on remand over charges relating to the bombing of a British Army recruitment office in Pontypridd. A self-declared member of the 'Worker's Army for a Welsh Republic', Burns was ultimately released in 1983 after neither of the two charges were made to stand up.

Results

1982 Gower by-election

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	Gareth Wardell	17,095	43.5	−9.8
	SDP	Gwynoro Jones	9,875	25.1	+16.1
	Conservative	Trefor Llewellyn	8,690	22.1	−8.4
	Plaid Cymru	Ieuan Owen	3,431	8.7	+1.6
	Computer Democrat	John Donovan	125	0.3	N/A
	Civil Rights/Welsh Political Prisoner	David Burns	103	0.3	N/A
Majority			7,220	18.4	−4.3
Turnout			39,319	65.4	−15.4
Registered electors			60,123
	Labour hold		Swing